1 I say {the} truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in {the} Holy Spirit,
2 that I have great grief and uninterrupted pain in my heart,
3 for I have wished, I myself, to be a curse from the Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to flesh;
4 who are Israelites; whose {is} the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law-giving, and the service, and the promises;
5 whose {are} the fathers; and of whom, as according to flesh, {is} the Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6 Not however as though the word of God had failed; for not all {are} Israel which {are} of Israel;
7 nor because they are seed of Abraham {are} all children: but, In Isaac shall a seed be called to thee.
8 That is, {they that are} the children of the flesh, these {are} not the children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned as seed.
9 For this word {is} of promise, According to this time I will come, and there shall be a son to Sarah.
10 And not only {that}, but Rebecca having conceived by one, Isaac our father,
11 {the children} indeed being not yet born, or having done anything good or worthless (that the purpose of God according to election might abide, not of works, but of him that calls),
12 it was said to her, The greater shall serve the less:
13 according as it is written, I have loved Jacob, and I have hated Esau.
14 What shall we say then? {Is there} unrighteousness with God? Far be the thought.
15 For he says to Moses, I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy, and I will feel compassion for whom I will feel compassion.
16 So then {it is} not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy.
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very thing I have raised thee up from amongst {men}, that I might thus shew in thee my power, and so that my name should be declared in all the earth.
18 So then, to whom he will he shews mercy, and whom he will he hardens.
19 Thou wilt say to me then, Why does he yet find fault? for who resists his purpose?
20 Aye, but thou, O man, who art *thou* that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?
22 And if God, minded to shew his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering vessels of wrath fitted for destruction;
23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared for glory,
24 us, whom he has also called, not only from amongst {the} Jews, but also from amongst {the} nations?
25 As he says also in Hosea, I will call not-my-people My people; and the-not-beloved Beloved.
26 And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, *Ye* {are} not my people, there shall they be called Sons of {the} living God.
27 But Esaias cries concerning Israel, Should the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved:
28 for {he} is bringing the matter to an end, and {cutting it} short in righteousness; because a cutting short of the matter will {the} Lord accomplish upon the earth.
29 And according as Esaias said before, Unless {the} Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and made like even as Gomorrha.
30 What then shall we say? That {they of the} nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but {the} righteousness that is on the principle of faith.
31 But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to {that} law.
32 Wherefore? Because {it was} not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumblingstone,
33 according as it is written, Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.
1 我在基督里说的是实话， 并没有撒谎， 因为我的良心在圣灵里一同为我作证；
2 我大大忧愁， 心里常常伤痛。
3 为我的同胞， 就是我骨肉之亲， 就算自己受咒诅， 与基督隔绝， 我也甘心。
4 他们是以色列人： 嗣子的名分、荣耀、众约、律法、敬拜的礼仪和各样的应许， 都是他们的。
5 蒙拣选的列祖也是他们的祖宗； 按肉身来说， 基督也是出自他们这一族。其实， 他是在万有之上， 永远受称颂的 神。阿们。
6 当然， 这不是说 神的话落了空， 因为出自以色列的， 不都是以色列人；
7 也不因为他们是亚伯拉罕的后裔， 就都成为他的儿女， 只有"以撒生的， 才可以称为你的后裔"，
8 这就是说， 肉身生的儿女并不是 神的儿女， 只有凭着应许生的儿女才算是后裔。
9 因为所应许的话是这样： "明年这个时候我要来， 撒拉必定生一个儿子。"
10 不但如此， 利百加也是这样： 既然从一个人， 就是从我们的祖宗以撒怀了孕，
11 双生子还没有生下来， 善恶也没有行出来（为要坚定 神拣选人的旨意，
12 不是由于行为， 而是由于那呼召者）， 神就对她说： "将来大的要服事小的。"
13 正如经上所记的： "我爱雅各， 却恶以扫。"
14 既是这样， 我们可以说什么呢？ 神不公平吗？绝对不会！
15 因为他对摩西说： "我要怜悯谁， 就怜悯谁； 我要恩待谁， 就恩待谁。"
16 这样看来， 既不是出于人意， 也不是由于人为， 只在于那怜悯人的 神。
17 经上有话对法老说： "我把你兴起来， 是要借着你显出我的大能， 并且使我的名传遍全地。"
18 这样看来， 他愿意怜悯谁就怜悯谁， 愿意谁刚硬就使谁刚硬。
19 这样， 你会对我说： "那么他为什么责怪人呢？有谁抗拒他的旨意呢？"
20 你这个人哪， 你是谁， 竟敢跟 神顶嘴呢？被造的怎么可以对造他的说： "你为什么把我做成这个样子呢？"
21 陶匠难道没有权用同一团的泥， 又做贵重的、又做卑贱的器皿吗？
22 如果 神有意要显明他的忿怒， 彰显他的大能， 而多多容忍那可怒、预备遭毁灭的器皿，
23 为了要使他丰盛的荣耀， 彰显在那蒙恩、早已预备要得荣耀的器皿上， 这又有什么不可呢？
24 这器皿就是我们这些不但从犹太人中， 也从外族人中蒙召的人。
25 就如 神在何西阿书上说的： "我要称那不是我子民的为我的子民， 那不蒙爱的为蒙爱的；
26 从前在什么地方对他们说： 你们不是我的子民， 将来就在那里称他们为永活 神的儿子。"
27 以赛亚指着以色列人大声说： "以色列子孙的数目虽然多如海沙， 得救的不过是剩下的余数；
28 因为主必在地上迅速而彻底地成就他的话。"
29 又如以赛亚早已说过的： "如果不是万军之主给我们存留后裔， 我们早就像所多玛和蛾摩拉一样了。"
30 既是这样， 我们还有什么可说的呢？那不追求义的外族人却得了义， 就是因信而得的义。
31 但以色列人追求律法的义（"律法的义"原文作"义的律法"）， 却达不到律法的要求。
32 这是什么缘故呢？因为他们不凭信心， 只靠行为。他们绊倒在那绊脚石上，
33 正如经上所记： "看哪， 我在锡安放了一块绊脚石， 是绊倒人的磐石； 信靠他的人， 必不致失望。"